7 days in Korea: a first-timer itinerary for Seoul, Busan or Gyeongju, and Jeju

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A week is enough to see Korea properly, as long as you resist the urge to see all of it. The country is small and the trains are fast, but every move between cities still costs half a day once you count packing, checking out and finding the next hotel. This plan keeps Seoul at the centre and adds one more region, with Jeju as an optional swap.

The shape of the week

Days 1–4: Seoul. Three full days plus your arrival day.
Days 5–7: one second region. Busan for sea, markets and a big-city feel; Gyeongju for royal tombs and temples; or Jeju for volcanic landscape and a car.
Fly home from where you finish if you can. Busan's Gimhae Airport has international flights, which saves you a long trip back to Incheon on your last morning.

Days 1–4: Seoul

Day 1 (arrival). Take AREX or an airport bus into the city, sort out a T-money card and a SIM or eSIM, then do something gentle: a walk along Cheonggyecheon stream and dinner in a market. The first-trip guide on this site covers the airport, transport cards and map apps. Day 2: old Seoul. Gyeongbokgung in the morning, Bukchon Hanok Village and Samcheong-dong after lunch, then Insa-dong or Ikseon-dong. Book the Changdeokgung Secret Garden tour ahead if you want it; see the palaces guide. Day 3: modern Seoul. Pick two areas, not five: Hongdae and Yeonnam for cafés and street life, Seongsu for warehouses turned shops, or Gangnam and COEX for the big-city version. Finish with a night view from Namsan or a Han River park. Day 4: your choice. A DMZ tour (book in advance, carry your passport), a day trip to Suwon's fortress, or a slow day of markets and shopping. Keeping one flexible day is the single best piece of pacing advice for a first trip.

Days 5–7: pick one region

Busan. The KTX from Seoul Station takes roughly two and a half hours. Spend a day on the coast (Haeundae, the Haeundae Blueline Park and Gwangalli at night) and a day in the old town (Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi fish market, BIFF Square). The Busan guide on this site has a fuller three-day plan. Gyeongju. KTX trains run to Gyeongju Station (formerly Singyeongju) in around two hours. Gyeongju rewards a slower pace: Bulguksa and Seokguram on one day, the tomb parks, Cheomseongdae and the Woljeong Bridge at dusk on another. You can also combine it with Busan, which is close: two nights in Gyeongju, one in Busan, and fly out of Gimhae. Jeju. Fly from Gimpo; the flight is about an hour and there are many departures a day. Jeju is spread out, so a rental car makes three days far more productive (an International Driving Permit is required, see the Jeju and driving guides). Choose either the east side (Seongsan Ilchulbong, Udo) or the west and south (Hallim, the Olle trails, waterfalls near Seogwipo), not both in a rush.

Getting between cities

KTX and SRT: high-speed trains. KTX leaves from Seoul and Yongsan stations; SRT leaves from Suseo in south-east Seoul, which is handy if you stay in Gangnam. Both sell tickets online in English, and weekend trains fill up, so book a few days ahead.
Korea Rail Pass: Korail sells a pass for foreign visitors. With only one or two long journeys in a week, single tickets are usually simpler; compare on Korail's English site before buying.
Express buses: slower but cheap and frequent, and often easier to book on short notice.
Domestic flights: the obvious choice for Jeju; for Busan the train is usually just as quick door to door.

Pacing tips

Do not change hotels more than twice in a week.
Plan one big thing per morning and one per afternoon; Korean cities reward wandering in between.
Many museums and some palaces close one day a week (often Monday for museums, Tuesday for Gyeongbokgung), so check before you build a day around one.
Check Korean public holidays before you book. Trains and roads are packed around Seollal and Chuseok, and some shops close.
If you are travelling in summer, move the outdoor sightseeing to mornings and evenings.

A quick packing note

Good walking shoes matter more than anything else: Seoul's palaces, hills and subway transfers add up to a lot of steps. Many hotels have coin laundries nearby, so packing light is realistic. Have you done a week in Korea, or are you trying to choose between Busan, Gyeongju and Jeju? Share your route or ask in the comments.